Thodsapol Hongtong enjoys smoking with his friends at the Green Party, a place where recreational cannabis enthusiasts gather in Bangkok, the Thai capital, to chat and have a good time. But it's a hobby that may be coming to an end.
The 31-year-old influencer, who runs his own cannabis store, regularly promotes recreational marijuana as good for the country's economy on his Channel Weed Thailand online platform.
The booming cannabis sector could be worth $1.2 billion next year, according to an estimate by the University of Thailand's Chamber of Commerce.
“Where [else] “There is nothing in the world where we can lie on the beach and enjoy a joint,” Thodsapol told Reuters news agency, taking a drag on his pipe.
But the Thai government is seeking to stamp out cannabis culture with a ban on recreational use that will come into effect at the end of the year. Medical use will continue to be permitted.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Thai Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew described recreational marijuana as a “misuse” of cannabis that has a negative impact on Thai children and could lead to other drug abuse.
Recreational cannabis flourished in Thailand after the country became the first in Asia to fully decriminalize the substance in 2022, allowing for a new public wave of marijuana appreciation culture.
Neon signs with cannabis leaves in several languages are seen on many corners of Thai towns and cities, marking the tens of thousands of shops, spas, bars and arcades where you can get a variety of cannabis strains.
Many street shops in tourist areas sell smoking paraphernalia, while cannabis-related festivals have become more common, such as last year's joint-rolling competition on the resort island of Phuket, which attracted marijuana fans from all over the world.
The Thai government's bill banning the recreational use of cannabis is due to be approved by the cabinet later this month.
